Wash-board



(No Model.)

S. BINGHAM.

WASH BOARD.

No. 400,823. Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

INVENTLTR:

WITN'EEEEE:

NITED STATES rrics.

ATENT SOLON BINGHAM, OF CONKLINGVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO ALAN SON A. SUMNER, OF ALBANY, NEYV YORK.

WASH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,823, dated April 2, 1889.

Application filed I'ehrcary 4, 1888. en'al No. 263,036. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SOLON BINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conklingville, in the county of Saratoga and State of 5 New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wash-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in wash-boards having rubbing-sur- IO faces on opposite sides or faces thereof, as described in Letters Patent No. 373,217, granted to me under date of November 15, 1887.

My invention consists in providing a washboard with two lids or protectors pivoted to I 5 springs supported inan opening in the upper part thereof independently of the side frames and cross-bar, to which one of the ends of the rubbing-surfaces is secured, whereby said lids or protectors may be readily opened and closed, or one lid opened outward from the side frames, while the opposite lid is closed directly against said frames or against studs or cushions in said frames.

The nature of my invention will be more particularly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the same in forms in which I have used such in conjunction with double-face washboard with practical success, and in which 0 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washboard, showing two lids or protectors pivoted to springs supported in blocks held in the rectangular-shaped opening of the board independently of the side frames thereof, and

the said view also showing one of the blocks for supporting the springs removed from its normal position. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the wash-board, showing the two lids or protectors pivoted to the arms of a coiled spring and with the supporting-block of said spring removed. Fig. 3 is a front view of a form of block for supporting the coiled spring.

Fig. at is a vertical central section through said block. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a wash-board, showing a modified form of spring to which are pivoted the lids or protectors of the board. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of said modified form of spring supported in the space in the upper part of the board independently of the respective side frames thereof. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a double-face wash-board with my improvements applied thereto, and showing also the studs or cushions in the side frames of the board, against which rest, when closed, the respective lids or protectors; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of block with the coiled spring supported therein.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a further description of my invention, A 6c and A are the side frames of the wash-board, made of wood or other material.

B and B are the washing or rubbing surfaces, made of corrugated zinc or other preferable material.

C is the crown-piece secured to the upper extremities of the side frames, A and A, in any suitable manner.

D is a crossbar located at the upper extremity of the washing or rubbing surfaces, and this bar acting as a support or rest for the soap.

E and E are two lids or protectors, made of wood or other suitable material, and having grooves c and 0 formed in them for thereception of the arms f and f of the springs F and F, and to which arms f and f of said springs the lids or protectors E and E are pivoted by means of pins 6 and 6 inserted through eyes e and 6, formed in the arms f and f of said springs.

The springs F and F, of any suitable form, are held in the rectangular-shaped opening H of the wash-board in blocks I and I, made of wood or other suitable material, each block being provided with a circular depression, 1', in the surface thereof, which forms a housing for the coils of the springs F or F. The blocks I and I each have diagonal grooves i and 2' therein, which diverge from the central housing, 1', and these grooves being arranged at preferably acute angles to each other for the reception of the respective arms f and f of each of the springs F or F. The blocks I and I, being fitted into the opening H, are moved by hand until the respective coils of the springs F and F o'ccupy positions in the central housings, 2', of the respective blocks, and with the arms f and f of the springs projecting through the diagonal 10o grooves t" and i therein. These blocks should be made of a sufficient length to fit snugly up against the bottom of the crown-piece C and the top of the crossbar D, and therefore it will readily be understood that the springs arranged in this manner can be properly supported for the performance of their particular functions independently of the side frames of the board.

The wash-board being arranged for use, as illustrated, for instance, in Fig. l, with the rear lid or p1fOlJOC1JO1,1*1, closed against the side frames, A and A, a convenient soap box or receptacle will be formed, and the extreme lower inner edge thereof will serve as a drip for the water or soapsuds.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown another form of spring F or F, pivoted to each lid or protcctor, and which consists of a spring made of any suitable metal bent into one or more coils with diverging arms and f, and a triangular-shaped base, f which forms an elastic cushion. The springs F and F are pivoted to the lids or protectors E and E in a similar manner to those already described, and these two springs pivoted to the lids or protectors are mounted in the rectangular-shaped opening in the upper part of the wash-board, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 5, with the elastic triangular-shaped cushions f of the respective sprin resting against the cross-piece D,

- and thereby supporting the respective lids or protirctors in proper position without any connection whatever of said springs with the side frames of the wash-board.

In Fig. 7 I have shown in the side frames, A and A, of a double-faced wash-board constructed and arranged in asimilar manner to the one illustrated, for instance, in Fig. 1, and as hereinbefore fully described, studs or cushions "m. and m, made of rubber or any other suitable material, and fitting into openings bored out in the side frames to receive said studs or cushions. These studs or cushions m and m. are provided more particularly to deaden the sound occasioned by a sudden snappingot the open lid, and then it is possible by using these stiuls or cushions to provide springs having somewhat greater tensile strength for actuating the respective lids or protectors E and E, as will be readily understood.

In Letters Patent granted to me under date of November 15, 1887, as aforesaid, the lids or protectors are pivoted to springs secured to the cross-bar, into which one of the ends of the rubbing-surfaces is secured, or to the side frames, while in my present invention the lids or protectors are pivoted to spring attachments supported in operative position independently of both side frames and crossbar, preferably in blocks adapted to receive said spring attachments, and held therein, when said blocks have been caused. to assume their normal positions between the crownpiece and cross-bar of the board.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a wash-board, of two protectors, springs pivotally attached to the protectors at or near the outer ends thereof, and said springs held in blocks supported in position contiguous to but independent of the side frames of the board within an opening between the crown-piece and cross-bar thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a wash-board with studs or cushions in the side frames thereof, protectors pivoted to the extremities of springs, and removable blocks adapted to receive and hold said springs in position within an opening between the crown-piece and supporting cross-bar of the board, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SOLON IIEINGIIAM.

Witnesses:

\VILLIAM SCOTT, B. R. .T'nNKINs. 

